We have known Melody Anderson through a series of action adventure
films and dramatic roles. During the last Christian media convention
we got to know her better and were so impressed that we wanted to
follow up with an interview.

We had a great time talking with Melody on the phone recently and
below is what we consider an outstanding testimony.

Ed.:You are a native of Alberta, Canada; and we discovered
that your first interest was in journalism and broadcasting. What
influenced you to go in those fields?Melody: If it hadnt been for my sister I might not have
gone into journalism. I liked communicating with people and affecting
them so when it came time for me to decide what to do in college I
spoke to my sister about it. She felt since I was a good writer in
school, I should go into journalism. If it hadnt been for my
sister ! I might not have. I went to journalism school at Carleton
University in Ottawa and I became interested in radio. It was the
70s and a young girl on television didnt have much of
a chance. Id have to be an old man to get the respect I needed.
So I went into radio, had success, and put my way through school.
I received an honors degree in journalism.

Ed.: What caused you to make the career leap to Australia and
then films in Hollywood?Melody: There were a lot of leaps, across the Pacific Ocean
and back. Canadians travel all the time and it is almost a tradition
for Canadians to take a trip after college. A lot of the kids went
to Europe, but it was easier for a working Canadian to go to Australia.
I took a year off to travel and worked as a travel writer in Australia.
I did some television and radio writing in New Zealand. In Australia
I was the first woman to ever read the news on the radio. I wasnt
very popular as I was! nt Australian and I was a woman. I then
went to the Far East which I had always wanted to see. I did some
reporting back to Canada at the end of the Vietnam war. (Melody then
listed a number of areas through Asia that she visited.) In Bali I
lived on a banana a day, slept on a mat for a bed, and had only a
few pennies. I arrived in Hong Kong and had a hotel room with a bath,
overhead fan, a proper bed and a radio. The radio was playing Whos
Afraid of Virginia Wolfe. I was so moved by the performance that I
said "Thats what I want to do, Ill communicate with
people by becoming an actress." I collected all my stuff from
Canada and moved to Los Angeles. I had $400.00 in my pocket and lived
with my mother. I took some acting classes and I started working pretty
quickly. I had a very successful career for about fifteen years. I
still loved writing and wrote a short movie with a friend of mine.
After fifteen years I decided to develop my life more fully and went
to college! to receive a graduate degree in family therapy. Now I
am using my writing as a tool for a book I am working on for parents
whose children use drugs and alcohol.

Ed.: With adventure films like Flash Gordon, Fire Walker, and
TV shows like Logans Run and Battlestar Galactica and then what
some would call more mainstream like All My Children and Jake and
the Fat Man, which of the two types did you prefer?Melody: You know, when youre an actor youre just
happy to be working. As long as I had a chance to act and it seemed
like an interesting role I really didnt care. I loved acting
and I loved taking the classes when I wasnt working. The creativity,
the focus, working with other actors was very fulfilling. The medium
didnt matter.

Ed.: Your bio on the net says if there was a good movie role
you would be interested.Melody: If there was a role that was characteristic to the
work that I am doing, like a lawyer or a therapist, a role with some
weight I would want to do it. I have clients in my life for whom I
would want the role to reflect who I am when they see me in the office.
Id have to think about that if I take a role I want my clients
to feel that there is a place where they can be safe and can tell
me their problems.

Ed.: I know that you are credited with a Friends and Family
program and the Intensive Out-Patient Program at Hazleden, N.Y. Would
you tell us something about that?Melody: What I put together is a family program for the clients
at Hazleden who are receiving recovery treatment for their addiction.
Their families and friends could also come to be with the recovering
client. It is an ongoing work. I also offered a free series of lectures.
I created another group program for those people who wanted to w!
ork with the twelve steps of Alanon which was created by Lois Wilson
wife of Bill who created AA. In the outpatient program I devised a
program for people who suffered from chronic relapse problems. People
who were working and couldnt be away for a long term-treatment.
We worked on creating group support and connecting them up with the
Alcoholics Anonymous groups at the same time.

Ed.: Many of those who had the opportunity to meet you here
were interested in how your religious faith has influenced you in
your life.Melody: People who didnt make it to the convention should
know they missed out. We had some great panels and great conversations
My parents came from Oklahoma and they were in the Church of Christ
which I was raised in. I was baptized in that church and learned about
the Bible. This is such important knowledge for our spiritual and
intellectual life. Just the stories opened my mind to another time,
place, and idea! s. When I was little I felt "I really like this
God, I want to know him more." Time went on and I went through
a period of not going to church as much, but continued reading religious
books. I wanted to know how to live a life like Jesus Christ, to be
tolerant, loving and forgiving. How could I ever imagine that I could
love my enemy?` What an idea! I really do believe that Jesus is the
Son of God. The whole thing of loving people and caring for people
is such a monumental task and is difficult, but I think it is part
of my spiritual journey. Twenty years ago I began going to church
regularly again and I attend a Presbyterian church in New York City.
My favorite line is that "faith without works is dead."
People who talk it but dont walk it are not living in Christs
way. My life is dedicated to living my life as close as I can to how
Jesus lived.

Ed.: Thats beautiful. Now to a favorite question of mine.
Were you to address students in high sc! hool or college, what thoughts
would you like to share with them as they prepare for their future?Melody: Id be honored if anyone wanted me to advise them
on what to do with their lives. In my job I get honored every day.
I would say the greatest way to decide how you want to live your life
is not based on the career you go into. Your career reflects the responsibilities
that are a part of a soulful life, it will be a place where you can
be compassionate, caring, forgiving, and bring love to help others
around you. Whether you are the president of General Motors or working
at McDonalds, it really doesnt matter. The job is irrelevant.
Its what we are, and how we perform on the job and how we treat
others that matters.

Ed. Note: Since this interview Melody told us she will be going
back to her radio days in Canada. She plans to go on the air on her
own radio call-in show in New York, Jan. 2006. It will be on at 1:00
P.M. Sunday! s on a trial basis and then after four months should
go into syndication. Well stay tuned.